Green’s heart still with C’s

Credit: Ted Fitzgerald

COMEBACK PLAYER? Jeff Green, who is a free agent after having his contract voided because of heart surgery, would like to return to the Celtics next season.

He’s been largely out of sight, but Jeff Green hasn’t been out of the Celtics’ mind — and the affection has been returned.

So tomorrow, the two sides will officially begin the task of getting Green back in green.

The key acquisition in the 2011 Kendrick Perkins trade played 26 games that season. He was set to return this past year, but during a physical after agreeing to a new contract, Green was diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm and had surgery in January. The contract was voided and he was allowed to become an unrestricted free agent.

Now Green is again working out and he wants to get things worked out here.

“He’s doing great,” said his agent, David Falk. “He’s been cleared 100 percent and he’s healthy.

“Obviously the Celtics want him back, and we’ll talk about that on July 1,” he added, referring to the date on which clubs can begin negotiating with free agents.

Asked if he thought there would be a problem getting a deal done with the Celtics, Falk said, “No. I mean, I think he’s going to have a lot of interest by a lot of different teams, but I’ve made no bones about the fact he feels a special kinship with Doc (Rivers) and the Celtic tradition — but they’re going to have to step up and make a deal with us.”

For a man who had no contractual ties to the Celts, Green certainly spent a good deal of time around the club during the season. During the playoffs, it was learned he had returned to basketball activities, but he was trying to keep that fact quiet.

Now Falk hopes everyone knows. And he believes there will be a different and improved Jeff Green on display next season.

“He’s playing,” he said. “He’s playing 5-on-5. He’s working out.

“He’s going to be better than ever because he sees things differently now. The one thing I think he was missing in his first four years was a sense of urgency and an assertiveness on the court. He was almost too unselfish. And now that basketball was almost taken away from him, I think he’s going to come back with a lot more fire in his belly.

“I think he’s going to be a lot more assertive because something very valuable to him was almost taken away. I think his life will be a little bit different. He’s a wonderful young man. I love him. I love the kid.”

Falk, who also represents Celtics draftee Jared Sullinger, loves, too, the fit for Green in Boston. In other words, he’ll very soon be sharing some phone time with Danny Ainge.

“I have to do my job, and part of my job is listening to offers,” Falk said. “But unlike almost everyone else in the business, I don’t worry about what number the guys get drafted; I worry about being in the right environment. I think Jeff in Boston’s a great environment for him. We just have to work out the business side.

“You know, in my 38 years in this business, I’ve written an owner a letter twice to commend him on the job of a general manager. One time was in Utah with Kevin O’Connor (who handled a situation with Jeff Malone differently after there had been some friction) and the second time was with Danny.

“I thought the way Danny managed Jeff’s injury situation was beyond professional. It was special to me, and I went out of my way to let Wyc (Grousbeck) know how much I appreciated it. I’m a person who puts a lot of stock in goodwill, so to me Danny Ainge has earned a lot of goodwill. It doesn’t mean we’re going to do it for free, but I really feel good about the situation.”

While most of Green’s medical matter has been played off as fairly direct and routine, there were obviously some major concerns.

“It was very serious,” Falk said. “Very serious. But their doctor, Brian McKeon, was tremendous. Danny was tremendous. I think they went above and beyond the call of duty because they really have a great, strong feeling for Jeff. I think he really felt the love and that’s why he’d like to stay there.”